As your parents age, you may notice them beginning to rely on your help more often. They might need a hand preparing food, grocery shopping, running errands or even getting to medical appointments. Though you may be happy to assist your aging loved one however you can, at some point, providing extra support may become too much if you’re already tasked with managing your own household and maintaining a career. It may be time to consider options for yourself and your loved one, including retirement living.

Initiating the conversation

虽然退休生活是一个敏感的话题，但讨论能让你爱的人的生活更轻松、更舒适的选择是值得的。在开始讨论之前，一定要对你附近不同的老年人居住选择做一些研究。你可能不想在最初的谈话中就把所有这些信息都告诉你爱的人，然而，这样做会让人觉得你已经做了决定，而且一次做的事情可能太多了。相反，一开始你应该委婉地表达你的担忧，看看他们对寻求额外帮助的想法有何反应。

Your loved one may have reservations about moving to a new place and leaving their home at first, but this is understandable. They may have been at their place of residence for decades and likely have an emotional attachment to their home. Gradually discuss the opportunities that could become available to them at a senior living community, such as not having to worry about meal preparation or housekeeping, or discuss the variety of on-site exercise classes and other activities that will be offered to them. There are many benefits of retirement living, and discussing them with your loved one may help them see that a move could be a positive choice.

Including them in the process

When introducing the idea of senior living, it’s important to place the focus on your loved one. Be sure to communicate to them that their comfort and happiness are what’s most important to you. They should know that their opinions, concerns and preferences will all be honoured throughout your collective search for the best possible community. Together, you can decide which type of support they need – independent living, independent supportive living, assisted living, dedicated memory care or long term care. Each of these options provide different levels of support and depend on your loved one’s needs. Do your research to understand which type of residence you should consider.

This just scratches the surface of what to note in your initial conversation about retirement living with your loved one. The discussion should be approached with a great deal of care and respect. For more information on how to broach the conversation and determine which senior living option is best for your loved one, check out Chartwell’s “Supporting a Loved One” guide byclicking here.